FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT SOY SAUCE - PAGE 2

When you barbecue, the more foods you can cook on the grill the easier the meal will be. To use frozen cut green beans in place of fresh beans, grill for just 20 to 25 minutes. GRILLED GREEN BEANS Four servings Preparation time: 20 minutes Grilling time: 25 to 30 minutes 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon water 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 2 cups fresh bias-sliced green beans or wax beans or 1 cup each green beans and wax beans 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts 1 tablespoon chopped pimiento 1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, water and ginger.

Q--I've got a recipe calling for light soy sauce. What is this, and how does it differ from regular soy sauce? A--Soy sauce, that ubiquitous Asian condiment and ingredient, comes in many more varieties than are commonly found on supermarket shelves. There are three broad categories: light, medium and dark. And many manufacturers confuse the issue by labeling their reduced-sodium versions "lite." Light soy sauce--not reduced-sodium soy sauce--is paler than other soy sauces.

The San Mateo Daily Journal reports: Former San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders offensive tackle Kwame Harris was charged with assaulting his ex-boyfriend at a Bay Area restaurant during an argument involving soy sauce and underwear. The alleged victim, Dimitri Geier, also filed a civil suit against Harris. The suit claims that Harris got upset when Geier poured soy sauce on a plate of rice and later pulled Geier's pants down and accused him of stealing his underwear. Get the full story: SMDailyJournal.com

There's an adage among sushi connoisseurs: You can tell how good the chef is by his tamago -- the traditional Japanese egg omelet served at sushi restaurants. And knowing how to tell the difference between adequate and stellar tamago is essential for any savvy sushi diner. Tamago has a delicate sweetness, almost like egg custard, but not so sweet that a dab of soy sauce would be offensive (though not necessary). It's not unusual for the Japanese to save their tamago for the end of their sushi meal, as a bridge between the savory and sweet courses.

Koji has long been used in Japan to make soy sauce, sake, miso and other traditional foods. Now, this ancient fermented ingredient is trending on both sides of the Pacific as restaurant chefs and home cooks see it as a convenient source of flavor-boosting umami, which is often described as a sense of savoriness. What is koji? According to "A Dictionary of Japanese Food," it is "rice, barley or soybeans infected with the mold (kabi) called Aspergillus oryzae. " Porridge-like, koji comes in a variety of forms.

"Ring in the New Year boldly!" I tell myself. So here goes: There's a vast difference between Asian cooking and cooking with Asian seasonings. Asian cooking is making a dish that would be recognized instantly by a native of the land whence the dish comes. Cooking with Asian seasonings means doctoring a dish to give it an Asian taste or accent. It is the latter approach that concerns us here. I have created a model for preparing quick-cooking, Asian-flavored soups. Tasty and different, they can be served as the main course for a weeknight supper or weekend lunch.

Having exhausted the foie gras/Kobe short rib/shaved trufflization of burger-swankifying, the foodie brain trusts decided the next great innovation in the hamburger arts will come from Japan: the mysterious fifth "taste" known as umami. Umami is so hard to articulate that no exact English translation exists. It's not so much a taste as a sensation on the palate, a rich, meaty, full-bodied savoriness associated with foods rich in glutamates, such as soy sauce and aged cheeses. In 2009, a man named Adam Fleischman took his fascination with the fifth taste and opened Umami Burger in Southern California.

It's a rare sight to spot fresh wasabi root at sushi restaurants, an extravagant accouterment at $100 a pound and a short shelf life. Besides, the majority of wasabi dolloped onto your plate - powdered, mixed with water - does the trick for most diners. Only a few places in Chicago import grated frozen wasabi root (Katsu, Sushi Dokku, et al.), and even fewer ship it in fresh. One is Union Sushi + Barbecue Bar on the Near North Side, which charges $5 but presents it table side with an appearance from the chef.

Simple to cook and serve, hearty one-dish soups are a good standby for family meals or informal gatherings. Just add bread and a salad, and you're ready to eat. This is the soup to make for a satisfying meal on a cold day. Turkey thighs are added both for substance and flavor. Removing the skin from the turkey reduces the fat. Pearl barley is barley that has the bran removed and then is steamed and polished. This helps it cook a little faster than regular unprocessed barley. You can use any combination of dried mushrooms.